Beach Vacations

Beach destinations are the idyllic getaway from the daily grind for much of the world. A trip to the beach is the classic idea of a vacation for families, couples, and even singles. Something about lounging on the beach, soaking in the sun, and listening to the sound of the surf a worldwide appeal. The beach is the place to kick off your heels, dance all night, drink and eat a little too much. This is where you come to forget about it all and simply enjoy life.

The basics

Finding a beach is as easy as looking on a map and finding the nearest stretch of coast. Half of the world’s population lives within ten miles of the coast, so for most finding a beach may not require much of an effort. For others, they need to make use of the family station wagon or an airline. Beach vacations are the most common trips in the world and packages with hotels, flights, car rentals, and meals are in every travel agent, hotel, airline, or travel search engine’s arsenal.

There are beaches of every sort. Some are very exclusive and home to just a few mega resorts frequented by the wealthy. Some beaches are so isolated that only those with significant amounts of time or who can afford extensive transportation costs can reach. Some beaches are geared toward sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll, while other beaches are for showing off hot bodies. Some beaches are for families. Some are for the poor. Some are for sports. Some are simply for relaxation.

Options for beginners

To enjoy the beach very little experience is necessary. You need to know how to protect against sunburn and how to swim, but generally your choice of beach is often more aligned to your budget than by your past experience. Most beginning beachgoers are content to stick to the beaches in their region or home country. They don’t need to circle the globe and spend their life savings on a once in a lifetime trip when almost any decent stretch of sand will do.

Finding a place to stay near a beach is always easy. Hotels seem to congregate near every nice beach or stretch of coast. Often coastal areas tend to have many similar priced hotels and resorts near each other, so a range of price in accommodations isn’t always available. This is especially true with luxury resorts, which tend to dominate entire beaches. Sometimes to find a budget location you need to look a few streets from the beach or just move to another beach.

Options for advanced

Very little separates the advanced beachgoer from the beginner. Spending more money, participating in more activities, and traveling a further distance are key issues for the gung-ho beach enthusiast. With a big budget you can not only get to the farthest and most isolated beaches, but partake in any number of activities and stay at the best resorts.

Many of the world’s best beaches are considered so because of their isolation. These are far off destinations sitting on tiny islands in the middle of the ocean or on desolate coastlines far away from large cities. The avid beachgoer prefers these destinations. They love to pair beach vacations around activities such as diving, snorkeling, surfing, sailing, or paragliding. A big budget is not always necessary to indulge in the best beaches. Many of the most pristine beaches there may not be resorts or even guesthouses, so camping is a popular option, especially for young people and surfers. Some isolated beaches can only be reached only via long hikes in the wilderness, battling harsh conditions and mosquitoes, but the rewards of dreamlike shores are well worth the effort to many.